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Center For Grassland Studies Newsletter, Spring 1997, Volume 3, No. 2

Center for Grassland Studies: Newsletters

Contents:

Environmental Quality Incentives Program by Dayle Williamson, Nebraska Natural Resources Commission

High Quality Seed: Importance for Grasslands by Roger Hammons, Nebraska Crop Improvement Association

Management Intensive Grazing Basics by Steven Melvin, Extension Educator, UNL

Rangeland Grasshoppers of Nebraska by John B. Campbell and Gary Hein West Central and Panhandle Research & Extension Centers, UNL

Pastured Poultry Organization Formed

Eastern Gamagrass: Forage and A Whole Lot More

Public Input Sought on Grassland and Forest Plans

Monoclonal Antibody Assay And Kit For Detecting Metal Cations In Body Fluids (Continuation), Randall R. Carlson, Jay S. Stout, Dwane E. Wylie, Fred W. Wagner, Malcolm Riddell

Biological Process Development Facility: Staff Publications

The invention provides method and kits for detecting a metallic cation in a sample of a body fluid. The preferred method and kits include the use of at least two different types of antibodies having different specificities. In the preferred method, the sample of body fluid can be contacted with an effective amount of a capture antibody specific for a naturally occurring polypeptide that can bind the metallic cation to form a first antigen-antibody complex. An effective amount of an antibody specific for an epitope on a metallic cation-naturally occurring polypeptide complex or an antibody specific for a metallic cation …

Nebline, April 1997

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Recognizing volunteers
New faces at Lancaster County Cooperative Extension
Educate yourself before you buy
Over the garden fence
Don't just smell the flowers...prune
All-America rose selection 1997 winners
Healthy transplants for the home garden
1997 Household Hazardous Waste Collections
Control sugar ants with baits: a least toxic alternative
Backyard Stewardship
Termite Control Workshop for Homeowners
Why are woodpeckers beating on my house?
Robins keep banging into my window--why?
Prevent grass tetany
UNL Crop Management Winter Curriculum a success!
Switch to narrow-row corn planting may not pay off
Use anhydrous ammonia safely
Monitor stored grain to prevent spoilage
Seed coatings on …

Ard News April 1997

Agricultural Research Division: News and Annual Reports

CONTENTS:

COMMENTS FROM THE ASSOCIATE DEAN
FY 1998 USDA-CSREES BUDGET< br> HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COLLECTION FEES
GRANT AND CONTRACT INCOME OBTAINED BY ARD UNITS DURING THE LAST FOUR CALENDAR YEARS
NOTES FOR INFORMATION
FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR AWARDS FOR FACULTY
GRANTS AND CONTRACTS RECEIVED FEBRUARY AND MARCH, 1997
PROPOSALS SUBMITTED FOR FEDERAL GRANTS
NEW OR REVISED PROJECTS
1996-97 GRADUATE PROGRAM
AVERAGE UNIT OUTPUTS EXCEED ARD GOALS AGAIN IN FY 1996
FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT BUDGET
CURRENT RESEARCH INFORMATION SYSTEM ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB

The Probe, Issue 175 – April 1997

The Probe: Newsletter of the National Animal Damage Control Association

Building a BASH Program* ("BASH stands for Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard), by Eugene LeBoeuf, Bird Strike Scientist, HQ Air Force Safety Center, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, and President, NADCA
Video Review: Pocker Gopher Trapping by Ken Carver

More Abstracts Published at the 3rd Annual Conference of The Wildlife Society
Social and economic assessment of black bear damage in coastal North Carolina, by Robert C. Maddrey and M.R. Pelton
Options for wildlife contraception in California, by Terry M. Mansfield
Cooperative beaver management in the Riding Mountain National Park region, by Constance E.L. Menzies, Richard K Baydack, and Jack E. DuBois
Wildlife …

Liberal Education On The Great Plains American Experiments, Canadian Flirtations, 1930-1950, Kevin Brooks

Great Plains Quarterly (through 2013)

In 1929 the University of Chicago plan for liberal or general education was first proposed by its young president, Robert Maynard Hutchins. Sociologist Daniel Bell, in his history of general education in America says, "The Chicago plan sought to draw together the disciplines in three fields-the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences-and Jo consider problems which, by their nature, could only be understood by applying concepts from different disciplines. "¹ Hutchins' proposal became the most discussed plan for balancing university curriculum's that had become specialized and disjointed in the first thirty years of the century, although it …

Y-Chromosome Effects On Drosophila Geotaxis Interact With Genetic Or Cytoplasmic Background, Scott F. Stoltenberg, Jerry Hirsch

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Previously, all of the major fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, chromosomes (I, II, and III) have been shown to be associated with geotaxis, but the Y chromosome has not. Using two methods (back-crossing and chromosome substitution), Y chromosomes from lines that have evolved stable, extreme expressions of geotaxis were placed into different genetic and cytoplasmic backgrounds to test the resulting males for geotaxis. The results of the back-crossing do not support the interpretation of Y-chromosome effects on geotaxis. These tests do not have sufficient statistical power, however, to detect small genetic effects. In the chromosome substitution experiment, the geotaxis-line Y …

Effects Of Shelterbelts On The Aerial Distribution Of Insect Pests In Muskmelon, Mary Ellen Dix, Laurie Hodges, James R. Brandle, Robert J. Wright, Mark O. Harrell

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Sticky traps were used to measure how tree shelterbelts influence the abundance of crop insect pests and beneficial arthropods in muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) plots in eastern Nebraska. Abundance of striped cucumber beetles {Acalymma vittatum Fabricius (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)} , southern corn rootworms {Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)}, and northern corn rootworms {D. barberi Smith & Lawrence (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)} was similar in exposed and sheltered plots. Western corn rootworms {D. virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)} were significantly more abundant in exposed plots. More lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and ichneumonid wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) were caught on traps …

Chlorella Virus Pbcv-1 Encodes A Homolog Of The Bacteriophage T4 Uv Damage Repair Gene Denv, Masakazu Furuta, John Schrader, Holly Schrader, Tyler Kokjohn, Simon Nyaga, Amanda Mccullough, R. Stephen Lloyd, Dwight Burbank, Dorit Landstein, Leslie C. Lane, James L. Van Etten

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The bacteriophage T4 denV gene encodes a well-characterized DNA repair enzyme involved in pyrimidine photodimer excision. We have discovered the first homologs of the denV gene in chlorella viruses, which are common in fresh water. This gene functions in vivo and also when cloned in Escherichia coli. Photo-damaged virus DNA can also be photoreactivated by the host chlorella. Since the chlorella viruses are continually exposed to solar radiation in their native environments, two separate DNA repair systems, one that functions in the dark and one that functions in the light, significantly enhance their survival.

Carrion Seeking In Brown Tree Snakes: Importance Of Olfactory And Visual Cues, John A. Shivik, Larry Clark

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We performed field experiments to examine brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) attraction to carrion. These snakes were attracted to carrion and entered traps baited with dead mice as readily as traps baited with live mice. Using the cues arising from both live and dead prey, we examined the relative importance of visual and chemical cues to brown tree snakes. With carrion lures, chemical cues alone were sufficient for attracting and capturing snakes, but with live prey lures visual cues were required to attract and capture brown tree snakes. Our study presents the first experimental field evidence showing carrion …

A Guideline For The Preparation Of Species Descriptions In The Eimeriidae, Donald Duszynski, Patricia G. Wilber

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Members of the suborder Eimeriina (phylum Apicomplexa: class Sporozoea: order Eucoccidiorida) have complex 1 or 2 host life cycles that involve endogenous development in the tissues of vertebrates or invertebrates and exogenous development in an oocyst, usually outside the host(s). Because tissue stages are logistically difficult or even impossible to obtain in natural (wild) host-parasite systems, the vast majority (> 98%) of species in this parasite complex are known only from the structure of their sporulated oocyst. Unfortunately, the quality of these species descriptions is uneven because no guidelines are available for workers in the field to follow. Here we …

A New Coccidian From Acomys Cahirinus Desmarest, 1819, From Evolution Canyon, Lower Nahal Oren, Mount Carmel, Israel, Lee Couch, Leon Blaustein, Donald W. Duszynski, Georgy Shenbrot, Eviatar Nevo

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

In 1994, fresh fecal samples were collected and examined for coccidian parasites from 43 spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus) and from 60 wood mice (Apodemus mystacinus). The 2 genera of rodents inhabit an area in Lower Nahal Oren, Mount Carmel, Israel, known as Evolution Canyon, which consists of opposite-facing slopes that are geologically identical, but micro-climatically very different. Acomys cahirinus is found primarily on the warmer and drier south-facing slope (SFS), whereas A. mystacinus primarily inhabits the cooler and wetter north-facing slope (NFS). None of the samples from the A. mystacinus contained coccidia, but 6 of 43 …

Cropwatch No. 97-2, March 28, 1997, Lisa Brown Jasa

Crop Watch (1994–2005)

Special focus: Corn

Inside

Narrow row corn .................. 13

No-till weed control .............. 13

Early season insects ........... 14

Selecting corn hybrids ......... 16

Gray leaf spot ...................... 17

EPA changes restrictions ..... 18

Broadleaf weeds in wheat.. .. 19

Wheat disease outlook ............. 19

Triazine-resistant kochia ........... 20

Diagnostic Clinic update ........... 20

James Stack joins faculty ........ 12

Corrections ............................... 12

Cooler temps ............................ 12

Characterization Of Recombinant Soybean Leghemoglobin A And Apolar Distal Histidine Mutants, Mark S. Hargrove, Jennifer K. Barry, Eric Allen Brucker, Michael B. Berry, George N. Phillips, Jr., John S. Olson, Raúl Arredondo-Peter, Jeanenne M. Dean, Robert V. Klucas, Gautam Sarath

Gautam Sarath Publications

The cDNA for soybean leghemoglobin a (Lba) was cloned from a root nodule cDNA library and expressed in Escherichia coli. The crystal structure of the ferric acetate complex of recombinant wild-type Lba was determined at a resolution of 2.2 Å. Rate constants for O₂, CO and NO binding to recombinant Lba are identical with those of native soybean Lba. Rate constants for hemin dissociation and auto-oxidation of wild-type Lba were compared with those of sperm whale myoglobin. At 37°C and pH 7, soybean Lba is much less stable than sperm whale myoglobin due both to a fourfold …

Individual Differences In Response To Novelty, Amphetamine-Induced Activity And Drug Discrimination In Rats, Rick A. Bevins, J. E. Klebaur, M. T. Bardo

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Rats mere pre-tested in several individual difference screens - novelty-induced activity, novelty-induced place preference, novel-object interaction, and amphetamine-induced activity. Rats that were more sensitive to the locomotor effects of amphetamine were more active in an inescapable novel environment and displayed a greater preference for a novel environment. All animals were then trained to discriminate amphetamine (1 mg/kg) from saline in a two-bar discrimination procedure using food-maintained responding. After acquisition of the discrimination (mean =37 trials), two amphetamine generalization tests (0.0625,0.125,0.25,0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg) were conducted. In the second generalization test, rats that were more sensitive to the activating effect …

High-Affinity Potassium Uptake Transporter From Higher Plants, Julian Schroeder, Daniel P. Schachtman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The present invention provides polynucleotide sequences encoding high affinity potassium uptake transporters. The polynucleotides of the invention can be used to modulate alkali metal uptake in plants and other organisms.

Classification, Natural History, And Evolution Of The Epiphloeinae (Coleoptera: Cleridae). Part I. The Genera Of Epiphloeinae, Weston Opitz

Insecta Mundi

The subfamily Epiphloeinae is defined to include fourteen genera as follows: Epiphloeus Spinola; Pilosirus, new genus; Plocamocera Spinola; Iontoclerus, new genus; Arenaria, new genus; Ichnea Laporte; Diaprorrieces, new genus; Pyticeroides Kuwert; Ellipotoma Spinola; Katamyurus, new genus; Megatrachys, new genus; Madoniella Pic; Hapsidopteris, new genus; and Teutonia, new genus. The following type-species are described: Pilosirus brunoi, new species; Arenaria chiapas, new species; Diapromeces aclydis, new species; Katamyurus paxillus, new species; Megatrachys paniculus, new species; Hapsidopteris diastenus, new species; and Teutonia nova, new species. Enoplium humerale Klug …

1997 Annual Meeting Of Cse, Ross Arnett

Insecta Mundi

The annual meeting of the Center for Systematic Entomology will take place at the Adam's Mark Hotel, Daytona Beach, in early August. The meeting will be held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Florida Entomological Society. The CSE meeting will consist of a symposium (see below) followed by a business meeting. The date will be 5 August. A reduced registration fee of $20 payable to FES on site will allow amateur entomologists (those who do not earn their living at entomology) to attend the entire FES meeting (4-7 August) but will exclude banquet tickets (evening of 6 August). …

The Prairie Naturalist Volume 29, No.1. March 1997

The Prairie Naturalist

UPDATED DISTRIBUTION OF THE LEAST WEASEL ON THE CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS ▪ S. R. Hoofer and J. R. Choate

ESTIMATING SURVIVAL OF SONG BIRD CARCASSES IN CROPS AND WOODLOTS ▪ G. M. Linz, D. L. Bergman, and W. J. Bleier

SEXUAL ALLOCATION IN Carex stricta, A MONOECIOUS, TUSSOCK-FORMING SEDGE ▪ D. M. Estrella and C. E. Umbanhowar, Jr.

ABUNDANCE OF THIRTEEN-LINED GROUND SQUIRRELS IN SHORTGRASS PRAIRIE ▪ L. C. Higgins and P. Stapp

BATS OF JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT, SOUTH DAKOTA ▪ J. R. Choate and J. M. Anderson

NOTES

Northern Harrier Builds Nest On Top Of Depredated Mallard …

New And Old Species Of Ommatius Wiedemann (Diptera: Asilidae) From Hispaniola, A. G. Scarbrough

Insecta Mundi

Four new species of Ommatius Wiedemann, the female of 0. stramineus Scarbrough, and the male of 0. nigellus Scarbrough from Hispaniola are described. A lectotype for O. gwenae Scarbrough and a neotype for 0. cinnamomeus are selected. Notes of previously named species, new records, illustrations of terminalia, and a key to the species are included.

American Beetles: A Handbook Of The Beetles Of Nearctic America, Ross H. Arnett Jr., Michael C. Thomas

Insecta Mundi

This book is a revision and update of the book originally written by Ross H. Arnett, Jr., called The Beetles of the United States, completed in 1963, and originally published by the Catholic University of America Press.

The authors present this publication plan to the Editorial Board for approval. This includes a family classification list, with subfamilies. The family list is included in a booklet available on request. The authors will ascertain that all families, subfamilies, tribes, and genera are included. This classification is subject to some modification by the authors of the family sections, with the approval of …

Characterization Of An Atp-Dependent Dna Ligase Encoded By Chlorella Virus Pbcv-1, C. Kiong Ho, James L. Van Etten, Stewart Shuman

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

We report that Chlorella virus PBCV-1 encodes a 298-amino-acid ATP-dependent DNA ligase. The PBCV-1 enzyme is the smallest member of the covalent nucleotidyl transferase superfamily, which includes the ATP-dependent polynucleotide ligases and the GTP-dependent RNA capping enzymes. The specificity of PBCV-1 DNA ligase was investigated by using purified recombinant protein. The enzyme catalyzed efficient strand joining on a singly nicked DNA in the presence of magnesium and ATP (K_m, 75 μM). Other nucleoside triphosphates or deoxynucleoside triphosphates could not substitute for ATP. PBCV-1 ligase was unable to ligate across a 2-nucleotide gap and ligated poorly across a 1-nucleotide …

Immune Suppression In Calves With Bovine Immunodeficiency Virus, Shucheng Zhang, Charles Wood, Wenzhi Xue, Samuel Krukenberg, Qimin Chen, Harish Minocha

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV) infection on immune functions and possible interactions between BIV and other bovine viruses in calves. Ten calves were inoculated intravenously with BIV, and five served as controls. An increased lymphocyte proliferation to BIV gag protein was demonstrated 2 to 6 weeks after BIV inoculation (P < 0.05). Lymphocyte subset differentiation revealed a decreased CD4/CD8 ratio (P < 0.05) during weeks 2 to 7, suggesting a possible immune dysfunction in BIV-infected calves. When the calves were inoculated with bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1), the antibody response to BHV-1 in BIV-infected calves was delayed and the antibody titers were significantly lower (P < 0.05). Injection of bovine viral diarrhea virus vaccine also elicited a lower neutralizing antibody response in BIV-infected calves. The results indicated that immune suppression occurred in BIV-infected calves.

Susceptibility To Taura Syndrome Virus Of Some Penaeid Shrimp Species Native To The Gulf Of Mexico And The Southeastern United States, Robin M. Overstreet, Donald V. Lightner, Ken W. Hasson, Stacey Mcilwain, Jeffrey M. Lotz

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Experimental studies demonstrated that Penaeus setiferus, but not Penaeus aztecus or Penaeus duorarum, could be killed by Taura syndrome virus (TSV). However, specimens of P. setiferus that survived infection and both P. aztecus and P. duorarum at least 79 days postexposure that did not demonstrate gross signs of infection were shown to harbor virus by bioassay using Penaeus vannamei, a highly susceptible target host. Consequently, all three of those penaeids native to the southeast United States can serve as carriers or reservoir hosts of TSV without necessarily exhibiting disease. Infections in P. setiferus took longer to cause …

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 9, No. 2, February 27, 1997

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Department travelers

Congratulations

Office news

Grants

Calendar of events

Evaluating Cable Resistance To Pocket Gopher Damage - A Review, Craig A. Ramey, Geraldine R. Mccann

Great Plains Wildlife Damage Control Workshop Proceedings

The National Wildlife Research Center, formerly known as the Denver Wildlife Research Center (DWRC), collaborated with telecommunications and energy industries to evaluate cable resistance to pocket gopher damage for 29 years (1966 to 1995). Recently, DWRC's evaluation process was transferred to private contract laboratories. This review summarizes the chronology of key investigations and procedures that were used and first published on cable resistance to rodent damage. The longstanding cooperative goal of both DWRC scientists and industry engineers was the development of rodent-proof, buried cables and ducts. Even though most data collected were proprietary, extensive laboratory testing at DWRC provided data …

Field Trials Of Alpha-Chloralose And Drc-1339 For Reducing Numbers Of Herring Gulls, Paul P. Woronecki, Richard A. Dolbeer, Thomas W. Seamans

Great Plains Wildlife Damage Control Workshop Proceedings

We compared the potential of Alpha-chloralose (A-C) and DRC-1339 to reduce a nesting population of herring gulls at an industrial site in Ohio in 1988. Almost all treated baits were consumed by gulls but only about one affected gull was noted for every 10 baits consumed of either chemical. A test indicated our DRC-1339 baits. containing 3.7 - 7.4 times the published LD value, were not lethal to most captive herring gulls living in fresh water. LD values of A-C and DRC-1339 need to be more precisely estimated for gull species in fresh and salt water environments.

Cooperative Wolf Depredation Management In Wisconsin, Robert C. Willging, Adrian P. Wydeven

Great Plains Wildlife Damage Control Workshop Proceedings

A depredation management plan was an important component of Federal and State recovery plans for the endangered gray wolf (Canis lupus) in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) entered into a cooperative agreement with USDA-APHIS-ADC to cooperatively manage wolf depredations. Response to complaints involving wolf-dog hybrids was also part of the cooperative agreement. From 1990-1996 ADC investigated 60 wolf complaints and confirmed 10 depredations. In the same time period, WDNR paid a total of $21,376 in compensation payments for 21 incidents of wolf depredations. Wolves may be downlisted from endangered to threatened within the next five …

Relative Effectiveness Of Various Breeds Of Livestock Guarding Dogs For Reducing Predation On Domestic Sheep In Colorado, William F. Andelt, Stuart N. Hopper

Great Plains Wildlife Damage Control Workshop Proceedings

We surveyed 59 livestock producers that used multiple breeds of livestock guarding dogs to determine their ratings of the relative effectiveness of guarding dogs for deterring predation on domestic sheep in Colorado during 1995. Significantly (P < 0.05) more producers rated Akbash dogs as more effective than Great Pyrenees for deterring predation by coyotes (Canis latrans), black bears (Ursus americanus), mountain lions (Felis concolor), domestic dogs, and all predators combined. Significantly more producers also rated Akbash dogs as more effective than Komondors for deterring predation by coyotes and all predators combined. Great Pyrenees and Komondors were rated as similar in effectiveness for deterring predation. Significantly more producers rated Akbash dogs as more aggressive, …

United States Patent , Number: 5,602,242: Hybrid Rna Virus, Paul G. Ahlquist, Roy C. French, Robert F. Sacher

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

A recombinant RNA virus is provided allowing encapsidation of genetically engineered viral sequences in heterologous, preferably rod-shaped coat, protein capsids. Since icosahedral viruses are limited in the amount of RNA they can carry, and rod-shaped viruses are expansible, this invention allows the size of recombinant virus RNA components to be increased (or decreased). Methods of making and using such recombinant viruses are also provided, specifically with respect to the transfection of plants to bring about genotypic and phenotypic changes.